Understanding the Most Common Causes of Digestive Problems

Digestive health is a cornerstone of overall well-being. Yet millions of people experience digestive issues that affect their quality of life daily. But what triggers these issues? The factors influencing your digestive balance can range from bad dietary habits, and the state of your gut microbiome to lifestyle choices, such as lack of exercise, poor stress management, and medication use. Understanding these causes is not just about addressing discomfort; it’s about empowering you to make informed choices for better long-term health. This article delves into the most common causes of digestive problems, exploring how these factors impact your gastrointestinal health.

Did you know that 60 to 70 million people in the U.S. suffer from some form of digestive disease? Some of the most common issues include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), constipation, heartburn, indigestion, diarrhea, and stomachaches. Plus, there are about 26,000 new cases of stomach cancer and 135,000 new cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed yearly according to national data. Numerous factors are associated with digestive problems but many stem from lifestyle factors, underlying medical conditions, and diet. Due to this high prevalence, it’s essential to explore the most common causes of digestive problems.

Dietary Causes of Digestive Problems

The most common cause of digestive problems is unhealthy dietary habits. What you put into your body, what you neglect to eat or drink, and your eating practices directly affect your digestive system.

Poor Diet

Diets low in fiber and high in processed foods, fried foods, sugars, unhealthy fats, artificial additives, and toxic preservatives disrupt your digestive tract. They contribute to gastrointestinal conditions, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and cancer, among other ailments.

Dehydration

Not drinking enough water also causes gastric issues. Let’s see how:

• Dehydration slows down peristalsis causing food to move slower through the digestive tract leading to constipation.
• Dehydration makes the stool hard and dry, making bowel movements painful and difficult.
• Dehydration irritates the stomach lining since stomach acid can become more concentrated, leading to acid reflux or heartburn.

Overeating

Besides the types of foods you consume, how much you eat can also cause digestive problems. Eating too much food in one sitting overwhelms your digestive system, leading to indigestion. Additionally, when the stomach is overfilled, the pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) increases. This causes the stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, leading to acid reflux.

Food Intolerances and Sensitivities

Intolerance to certain foods can lead to bloating, diarrhea, gas, stomach cramps, constipation, allergic reactions, fatigue, headaches, joint pain, mood changes, and skin problems. Here are the top food intolerances and sensitivities:

• Lactose: Lactose intolerance is when the body is unable to properly digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products. This occurs because the small intestine does not produce enough lactase, the enzyme needed to break down lactose into simpler sugars (glucose and galactose) for absorption.

• Gluten: Gluten intolerance or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is a condition in which individuals experience adverse symptoms when they consume gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that damages the small intestine when gluten is ingested, causing even more intestinal damage and inflammation.

• FODMAPs Intolerance: This refers to difficulty digesting certain short-chain carbohydrates found in various foods (FODMAPs: Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols). People with FODMAP intolerance experience gastrointestinal symptoms when they consume these foods, often due to poor absorption in the small intestine. These are the high-FODMAP foods:
  • Oligosaccharides: Fructans are a type of oligosaccharide found in wheat, onions, garlic, or high-fructan vegetables such as leeks, asparagus, and artichokes. Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are found in legumes and pulses, such as lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, and soybeans.
  • Disaccharides: Lactose-containing foods such as milk, cheese, and yogurt.
  • Monosaccharides: Fructose is a sugar found in fruits (apples, pears, watermelon, mangoes, cherries), honey, and sweeteners (agave syrup and high-fructose corn syrup – commonly found in sodas, sweets, and processed foods and associated with obesity, diabetes, and other cardiovascular diseases).
  • Polyols: Polyols are sugar alcohols found naturally in some fruits and vegetables, and used as artificial sweeteners ( Sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, and maltitol) in sugar-free products – sugar-free gum, candies, and some diet foods.

Physical Causes of Digestive Problems

Physical issues are another cause of digestive problems. Here are some examples:

Imbalances in Gut Flora

Gut health plays a crucial role in digestion, immune function, and overall health. Imbalances in gut flora (gut dysbiosis) can lead to numerous health issues and a variety of digestive conditions. This imbalance in the ratio of beneficial to harmful bacteria can cause leaky gut, IBS, IBD, SIBO, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, gastritis, constipation, diarrhea, food intolerances, GERD, and diverticulitis. Here’s how disruptions in gut flora contribute to digestive conditions:

• Increased Intestinal Permeability: Gut dysbiosis can weaken the lining of the intestines, allowing undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria to “leak” through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream, causing “leaky gut syndrome,” IBS, or IBD.
• Food Intolerances: Imbalances in gut bacteria can impair the body’s ability to digest certain foods, leading to intolerances.
• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO): Normally, most bacteria reside in the large intestine, but an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine can occur due to dysbiosis and cause SIBO.
• Malabsorption of Nutrients: Dysbiosis disrupts the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, leading to nutritional deficiencies.
• Fungal Overgrowth (e.g., Candida): Gut dysbiosis can lead to an overgrowth of fungi, such as Candida.
• Increased Susceptibility to Infections: When dysbiosis occurs, the protective role of beneficial bacteria is reduced, making it easier for infections to take hold.

Bacterial or Viral Infections

• SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth): SIBO occurs when there is an excess of bacteria in the small intestine, causing bloating, gas, and malabsorption.
• Bacterial Infections: Pathogens like Helicobacter pylori can cause ulcers and chronic gastritis, while infections from Salmonella, E. coli, or Clostridium difficile can lead to food poisoning and diarrhea.
• Viral Infections: Viruses such as norovirus or rotavirus can lead to acute gastroenteritis, causing severe vomiting and diarrhea.
• Parasitic Infections: Parasites like Giardia can infect the GI tract, leading to diarrhea and malabsorption of nutrients.

Lack of Digestive Enzymes

Having a deficiency of digestive enzymes is another common cause of digestive problems. It can lead to various digestive conditions, such as malabsorption issues, gastrointestinal symptoms, and other conditions. When you lack sufficient digestive enzymes, food is not properly digested since enzymes break down food into nutrients the body can absorb,

Lifestyle Factors Associated with Digestive Problems

Another common cause of digestive problems is your lifestyle. Whether it’s unhealthy eating habits, medications, low activity levels, emotional health, or harmful habits, they all can impact your gut.

Eating Too Fast

Eating too quickly often leads to inadequate chewing, leaving larger pieces of food that are harder for the stomach and intestines to break down. This can strain the digestive system. Additionally, eating too fast may cause you to consume more food than necessary because it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to register fullness. As a result, you may overeat before feeling satisfied and satiety signals have kicked in.

Taking Medications

The following medications wreak havoc in the gastrointestinal tract:

• Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): Long-term use of NSAIDs like ibuprofen or aspirin can irritate the stomach lining and lead to gastritis or peptic ulcers.
• Antibiotics: Overuse or prolonged use of antibiotics can disrupt the natural gut flora, leading to conditions like diarrhea, infections, or gut problems.
• Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs): Medications used to reduce stomach acid can lead to long-term side effects, including reduced absorption of key nutrients and increased susceptibility to infections.
• Opioids can slow bowel movements, causing constipation.

Being Sedentary

When you’re sedentary, the muscles of the GI tract become defective (these are the muscles that help move food through the digestive system efficiently). The contractions of the intestinal muscles and enzyme production slow down, leading to constipation, bowel irregularities, slowed metabolism, bloating, indigestion, and discomfort.

A lack of physical activity can also contribute to an imbalance in gut bacteria and promote systemic inflammation, potentially leading to conditions such as bloating, gas, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Having Chronic Stress, Emotional, and/or Psychological Issues

Your psychology, including how you manage stress and your emotions can be another common cause of digestive problems. Stress and emotional turmoil can trigger the “fight or flight” response, releasing hormones that disrupt normal digestive processes. This may lead to issues such as acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or constipation. Chronic stress can also alter gut motility, affect the balance of gut bacteria, and heighten sensitivity to abdominal pain. Additionally, unresolved emotional distress can lead to behaviors that exacerbate digestive problems, such as overeating, consuming unhealthy foods, neglecting meals, or engaging in harmful habits.

Since the gut and brain are connected via the gut-brain axis, this axis works bi-directionally. Since most neurotransmitters are in the gut, psychological stress can exacerbate or trigger gastrointestinal conditions. At the same time, an unhealthy gut can cause emotional and psychological issues, and decrease your ability to deal with stress.

Smoking

Smoking affects almost every part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the intestines. Here’s how smoking leads to digestive conditions:

• Weakened Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES): Smoking weakens the LES, the muscle that prevents stomach acid from flowing back into the esophagus. This increases the risk of acid reflux and heartburn, leading to GERD.
• Increased Acid Production: Nicotine stimulates stomach acid production, exacerbating GERD symptoms like heartburn and indigestion.
• Irritation of the Stomach Lining: Smoking increases the production of stomach acid and decreases the production of protective mucus. This can damage the stomach lining, leading to the formation of peptic ulcers.
• Reduced Healing: Smoking impairs blood flow and slows the healing process, making ulcers more difficult to heal. Smokers are also at higher risk of ulcer recurrence.
• Crohn’s Disease: Smoking is a well-known risk factor for Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory condition of the digestive tract. Smokers are more likely to develop Crohn’s disease, and smoking worsens the severity of the disease.
• Decreased Saliva Production: Smoking reduces saliva production, which is important for breaking down food and neutralizing stomach acid. Reduced saliva can lead to dry mouth, making digestion more difficult and increasing the risk of gum disease and oral infections.

Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol consumption, particularly in excess, can lead to a wide range of digestive disorders. Here’s how alcohol harms the digestive system:

• Irritation of the Stomach Lining: Alcohol irritates and inflames the stomach lining, leading to gastritis, which can cause stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.
• Increased Acid Production: Alcohol increases stomach acid production, which can lead to indigestion, heartburn, and further irritation of the stomach lining.
• Mucosal Damage: Chronic alcohol use erodes the protective mucosal layer of the stomach and intestines, making them more susceptible to ulcers. This condition can be exacerbated when combined with smoking or NSAID use.
• Pancreas Inflammation and Damage: Excessive alcohol consumption is a major cause of pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas. Chronic pancreatitis can lead to digestive problems, as the pancreas plays a critical role in producing digestive enzymes. Alcohol damages pancreatic cells and disrupts their ability to secrete digestive enzymes, which leads to malabsorption, weight loss, and nutrient deficiencies.
• Fatty Liver Disease: Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to fatty liver, where fat builds up in liver cells, impairing liver function.
• Alcoholic Hepatitis: Over time, alcohol can cause inflammation of the liver, which can progress to alcoholic hepatitis, characterized by liver swelling and damage.
• Cirrhosis: Cirrhosis is the end-stage of liver disease, where scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue. This condition can lead to portal hypertension, ascites (fluid buildup in the abdomen), and liver failure.
• Barrett’s Esophagus: Chronic acid reflux (often worsened by alcohol) can lead to Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition in which the lining of the esophagus changes.
• Poor Nutrient Absorption: Alcohol interferes with the absorption of nutrients in the intestines, particularly vitamins like B12, folate, and thiamine. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies that negatively impact overall health.
• Intestinal Cells Damage: Chronic alcohol use damages the cells lining the intestines, making it harder for the body to absorb essential nutrients, leading to malnutrition and digestive issues.
• Increased Cancer Risk: Both smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are major risk factors for esophageal cancer. Alcohol irritates the esophagus, and in combination with smoking, the risk of esophageal cancer increases significantly.

Conclusion

The workings of your gastrointestinal system are intricate and digestive irregularities are the result of a combination of dietary habits, physical issues, and lifestyle factors. Understanding common causes such as poor nutrition, food intolerances, eating practices, gut dysbiosis, digestive enzyme deficiencies, emotional issues, inactivity, and harmful habits can help you take proactive steps toward better digestive health. By adopting an organic balanced diet, optimizing enzyme function, staying hydrated, implementing dietary interventions to boost your gut health, managing stress, exercising, and decreasing or eliminating toxic habits, it’s possible to alleviate and reverse gastrointestinal issues. Remember, a healthy digestive system is key to enhancing the quality of your life.

To a Healthier Fitter You,

Adriana Albritton

The Fitness Wellness Mentor